St. Clair County is the first in the state to tell the federal governement that it has no right to force healthcare on its citizens.

On Monday the County Commission unanimously approved a resolution that states that  commission “is in opposition to any rule that would compel, directly or indirectly, any person, employer or health care provider to participate in any health care system…”

It goes on to state that no one in the county should be required by federal mandate to pay fines or penalties for paying for healthcare. It also states that “a person should not be forced to allow a bureaucrat in Washington to decide which doctor they would see or what kind of health care coverage is taken for them and their family…

“…the St. Clair County Commission believes the mandatory purchase of insurance and forced participation in a federal health care system is a violation of the United States Constitution and is another step in the gradual loss of freedoms to the federal government and an infringement on the rights of the individual.”

The commission also resolved to support legislation put forth by Senator Scott Beason (R-Gardendale) and Representative Blaine Galliher (R-Gadsden) that would provide an amendment to the Alabama Constitution allowing individuals to opt out of the federal health care law passed by the United States Congress last month.

Alabama is among 41 states trying to opt out of the federally mandated bill, Beason told those gathered in Ashville during an emergency commission meeting Monday.

“This issue is an issue that’s grabbed the attention of our entire nation, and we wanted to be sure that there was no doubt what position the county commission had on this,” Commission Chairman Stan Batemon said. He said that the commission also wanted to make sure that citizens understood that they stand behind our state Senator Beason and Representative Galliher.

“County government under state law are already helping with indigent (non-insured) care,” Batemon said. “That’s one of the reasons we are providing non-profit hospital care here.” He said the federal mandate does nothing to help the hospital care in the county and added “it actually helps move out of it… I haven’t seen a federal mandate that was easy to accomplish.”

Commissioner Jeff Brown, who represents the northern end of the county, said that he appreciated Beason and Galliher for their efforts to fight for the will of the people in the statehouse.

Commissioner Jimmy Roberts, who represents a portion of the southern half of the county, said, “I’d thank the Lord that I live in America and in Alabama. [Without] our health care system, my wife would be dead in any other system.” Roberts let it be known that his wife has been fighting cancer for six years. “If she was in Canada, she’d be dead.”

Roberts also made the point that he would hate to be forced to buy a Chevrolet just because the government was in control of General Motors.

Chairman Batemon said the commission has no worry about federal government blowback to proclamations like the one passed Monday. “I think Washington needs to be more concerned about blowback from us. I think this movement is a big enough movement that Washington has some concerns about what they did wrong.”